Rescue Me
by convenientdistraction
Summary: Their eyes met across the crowded cat rescue. And the rest was history.  I can't believe I'm doing this.   Humor. For humor's sake.


Our eyes met across the crowded cat rescue.

Immediately, I was drowning in his gaze, his eyes like two ripe blueberries floating in a sea of breakfast cereal. I was settling a frazzled, aging calico back into her cage when he approached. Wiping the stray hairs on my orange corduroys, I blushed like a school girl when he stuck out his hand to introduce himself, pointing his free fingers toward the yellow stitching on his scrubs.

Dr. Carl.

His palm was warm as his tanned fingers wrapped around mine while I introduced myself. As he moved closer to peer into the cage behind me, I was immediately overcome by the smell of him. Like fresh roses and Novocain. He was delectable.

"What can I help you with, doctor?" I whispered as I tilted my glasses back up the bridge of my nose, careful that my words not shatter the moment.

He coughed, started to speak, and then hesitated, running his fingers through his slicked smoky locks, brushing away any image of Josh Groban's winding curls back into the recesses of my mind. "I just thought I'd help out you know. Do some good in the community. Give a little furball a good home."

I smiled back at him. "Well, we have a wide selection of breeds, and I'd be happy to have you fill out a personality profile so that I can match you with the best choice. Or did you already have something in mind?"

As his eyes skimmed across the endless row of cages, I watched a slight frown migrate across his moody features. And it stirred something inside me. All at once, I saw everything. And nothing. Tentatively, I wrapped my fingers around his shoulder, locking in his gaze as I murmured softly.

"It's okay to need someone."

I watched as he closed his eyes, fighting the urge to reach higher and pet his dark lashes.

"I'm just. Lonely," he exhaled, his eyes fluttering open to meet mine again. "My marriage was a disaster. And I'm just-my house is too big. I thought I was going to fill it with children."

My heart burned at the thought that someone, anyone, could break the heart of the dark, sleek, yet fragile man standing in front of me. I shook my head, scattering away images of our bodies curled together front of the large stone fireplace in a tastefully decorated yet cavernous mansion.

"I think I know just what you need," I answered motioning down towards a cage on the bottom shelf. He stooped, his dark wash jeans tightening against his skin.

And his rear. It was the stuff of legends. I almost barfed.

"Hey there," he teased, reaching in the cage to pull the petite, fluffy white Persian princess I had selected for him. "What's your name, little guy?"

"He's a she," I corrected, adjusting the sparkling pink collar I had bedazzled for my angel last week with the extra cash from my latest deal. "Princess Gabrielle."

"That's quite a name," he grinned, his voice skipping up octave as he nuzzled his nose against her fur. I imagined him doing the same to me and leaned against a cage to catch my breath. His blue eyes held a faraway, fragile look as my princess began to purr under his touch. "I hope you're not as hard to please as Gabrielle Solis."

"Who, did you say?" I whispered, feeling even dizzier as his deep voice rumbled with nervous laughter.

"Oh nothing, just a character from Desperate Housewives." He stopped, blushing from his admission. "My wife, she never wanted to watch it. She said it was silly."

"It's not silly at all," I assured, him, stroking the cat to keep my fingers from more dangerous places as my heart picked up speed.

"Thanks," he answered. "And I'll take her. She's perfect."

"You're perfect for each other," I exhaled, walking over to grab an adoption form. "But you don't have any other pets do you? She doesn't take kindly to competition."

"Oh, no, no," he shook his head, depositing her in my care and pulling a pen from his pocket. His arm brushed against mine, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. "My wife didn't allow pets. She wasn't big on animals. I've always loved them.""It sounds like you're better off without her," I blurted, suddenly feeling my skin redden from my admission.

"You know what Sandy?" He smiled, signing his name at the bottom of the form. "I'm starting to think that."

As he glance climbed back up to mine, his teeth bursting with a whiteness like a spotlight on a prima ballerina at the Bolshoi, I knew we weren't talking about Princess Gabrielle anymore.


End file.
